


The Blood of Gods

by GingersaysNo



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, F/M, Time Travel Fix-It, blood magic shenanigans, everything is sad, hurting, please note rating for violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-12 01:51:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5649352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingersaysNo/pseuds/GingersaysNo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the last battle for their world, Hallei makes a choice. She has to save him, she made a promise. It's probably a good thing he doesn't practice blood magic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not dead yet

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic. It's off to a rocky start, but I'll post when I can. Please please please, if you are uncomfortable with character death or graphic depictions of violence then this is not the fic for you. Be ye warned.

Slowly, piece by piece, she became aware of the world. Her armor was biting into her skin, acrid ash and soot clogged her nose and throat, one of her legs was most definitely broken, it hurt to breathe, and blood was slowly dripping from her head and down her face. The air around her was cold, but she could smell the cloying scent of burning bodies and magic not too far away.

  
Her eyes cracked open, Cassandra's body lay not far, turned away from her.

  
"C..Cass?" she wheezed, "Cassandra..?" but the Seeker lay still. Too still. "No..no, Cassandra!", she called desperately, and literally dragged herself to where the seeker lay prone in the dirt. She reached out and rolled her over, then had to turn away and retch. There was an arrow lodged in her dear friend's throat, her normally fierce eyes now blank and slack. Cassandra, her bulwark, her guiding light, was gone. There was no one left. Her fingers shaking, Hallei gently closed Cassandra's dead eyes.

  
Hallei let out a wail and wrapped her broken body over the Seeker, repeating 'I'm sorry' over and over and over. Footsteps caught her attention and her head whipped around, only to see -him- being hefted up by two elvhen archers. The fletching on their arrows matched the one lodged in Cassandra's throat.

  
Rage pooled in her chest, pure and bright. It flashed, white and hot across her skin in dazzling waves. Her arm shot up, and the wrath of a thousand storms came to her call with the force of her raw fury. Twin bolts of searing lightning cleaved the sky and struck  the archers trying to retreat with their master. They didn't stand a chance. Their bodies dropped at his side, little more than charred skeletons and drifting ash.

  
Thunder rolled in her wake as she grabbed tight onto the hilt of Cassandra's fallen sword. Wincing, she heaved herself onto her feet, using it to stand and hobble over to where Solas had collapsed into the ash again. One step, two, careful of her broken leg, though she could not feel the pain of it through her fury. She didn't care that the last of her mana had been burned away, she didn't care that she was injured, she was pain, she was rage, she was pure.

  
The battlefield around her held the corpses of everything she held dear, inquisition banners, now tattered and burning flapped mockingly. Bodies of human soldiers, elves, dwarves, and even qunari were twisted in gory tributes at her feet. She marched, ever forward, her eyes locked on the man she called 'Vhenan' all those years ago.  
He was stirring now, slowly bringing himself up. She was nearly on him, she could end him. End everything, stop the madness. Only a few more steps, one, two, three.  
His eyes turned up at her, she imagined she would see fear there. Fear for his life, fear of her wrath, fear of the end...and instead she found only relief. He was relieved to see her alive, relieved that she was able to stand, that she was able to fight. It only fueled her anger. For a brief second, she felt a tendril of -hatred- well up in her belly and weigh her down like a stone.

  
She raised her friend's sword, the razor edge against his neck and mentally -dared- him to say something. To push her, to give her every justification. She was ready, the time was now. She took one more step and her foot hit against something that was not ash or bone.

  
Her eyes flicked away from Solas and down to what she had stepped on.

  
It was Cole's hat.

  
That ungainly, flappy, ugly hat that he loved so much. The sword in her hand went clattering to the ground and she dropped with it, the weight of the world suddenly far too heavy. Tears, hot and unbidden spilled from her eyes as she stared blankly at the leather that used to adorn the spirit of compassion.  She didn't think she had any tears left to spare, but for Cole...dear, sweet Cole, she had a torrent.

  
He had died a week ago, his thin body ran through by some polearm as he tried to protect the dying Blackwall, his back full of arrows. The image was too raw, too vivid. There hadn't even been time for her to grieve for them as they pushed their attack forward desperately.

  
She pulled the hat from the ash and cradled it to her chest as she sobbed openly. Her vision clouded with tears and blood, making the world appear fuzzy and soft. She could almost pretend she wasn't surrounded by death, she could almost pretend the world was small and comforting again. Solas made a noise next to her, something close to a groan and a shuddering sigh. She hoped bitterly that it was pain for a moment, but a voice drifted to her from the ether as she clutched to the ragged hat, 'He's in pain' the voice said, and Cole's face swam in her mind's eye, 'we should help.'

  
A laugh bubbled from her, broken and hysterical. She held the hat tighter, her knuckles going white as her laugh ebbed away into wracking sobs again. She felt a hand on her shoulder and flinched, almost forgetting that Solas was there at all.

  
"...Hallei.", he started, his voice soft despite the sharpness all around them.

  
"Just kill me." she blurted out, her voice oddly calm, even through her sobs. The hand on her shoulder pulled away, and she felt bereft of the meagre contact. She didn't dare try to look at him. She couldn't think of what would be worse to see on his face, him considering it, or him denying her yet again.

  
She heard him move, he clanked in his armor as he struggled to stand. He was going to walk away. Leave her behind yet again. Leave her kneeling, in pain, and broken in every way. Hatred burned in her belly again, despair replaced itself with rage, she dropped Cole's hat and grabbed Cassandra's sword once more. She was not dead yet.

  
Not yet.

  
She bit back a yell as she struggled to her feet again. Her leg protesting every pull of her muscles and movement. She leveled her eyes at Solas, who was looking at her with a mixture of pity and surprise.

  
"Just stay down, Hallei. You have lost, there is nothing for you to fight for any longer." his words were sharp as glass, no longer soft and caring. They bit through her, cutting her to the quick, but she remained.

  
"You will not leave me again, Solas." she spat, her voice every bit as strong and determined as she wanted it to be. "You will face me this time. I will not allow you to be a coward any longer."

  
He looked pained then as he watched her struggle to merely remain standing. Hallei knew she wasn't a match for him as she was, she knew if he meant to actually kill her, she would be dead, but she remained. Her grip tightened on the sword, she had to endure, she had to finish it for her friends, she had to fight, she had to save him.

  
Save him.

  
Her hand twitched as she struggled to keep her fingers wrapped around the heavy blade, blood dripped from her head down off her jaw, her leg began to ache. She had to save him. That's why she was doing this, that is what their friends died for. The stone of hatred that had settled in her belly slowly crumbled away. She was fading, but she was not dead yet.

  
Not yet.

  
"Vhenan..." he called, and her eyes swept over him. He was wincing, she realized. He was injured. Every memory tied with that word stung in her eyes. She wanted to yell at him, she needed to be angry, but she had to save him.

  
"Was this what you wanted, Solas?" she asked, her voice faultering. She needed to be stronger, "Is this world better?"

  
"I did what I had to." He answered, a bit bitterly. His voice was sharp again, biting into her, "The People can rebuild now, with the Veil gone the world can be restored."

  
"On the bones of the people who called you 'friend'." she spat viciously, her anger rising again, "On the corpses of those you deemed 'lesser'. On the ashes of entire civilizations. What poisonous world will grow from that, I wonder? What blight will you unleash on the People?"

  
"I had to, vhenan!" he nearly shouted at her, his voice echoing across the battlefield, "I had to! There was nothing left of us! Our world! What else could I have done?"  
She shook her head, which made her dizzy. She was losing blood too quickly. Not yet, she chanted, Not dead yet.

  
Their argument was one she had with him many times. Over and over they fought in circles, she did everything she could think of to change his mind. He burned the world, killed her friends, took her arm, broke her heart...and still she wanted to save him. She promised.

  
Tears stung her eyes, "You could have stopped.." she said, pathetically. "You could have seen the world for what it is, instead of what it was."

  
He crossed the space between them and with a deep heaving sigh, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her broken body closer to his. She wanted to be shocked, she wanted to be offended, but she was too tired. Instead, she leaned heavily against him and bit back another sob. She wanted to hold him, she wanted to forgive him, she wanted to save him. Why couldn't he understand? He let out another long sigh, and murmured softly against her ear, "You told me once that you would always work to make the world better. I can do no less."

  
She stiffened at the words. It was like icewater had been poured in her gut. She had told him that, years and years ago. He asked if she woke up one day and the world was awful, what would she do...Take a breath, and try again, she said. Just like that.

  
Hallei closed her eyes, and drew in a long, steadying breath, trying to draw on what little strength was left in her.  She knew what she had to do now, she knew what it would take to save him, but she didn't know if she could. She didn't know if she would survive. She had to try. Her one good hand tightened on the hilt of Cassandra's sword. It would have to be enough. She would have to be enough for them all.

  
Solas gave a choking gasp as Cassandra's sword pierced deeply into his side. His fingers grasped onto her armor as he pulled away enough to look at her, his face a picture of pure shock. Hallei jerked the sword out of his side and flung it away.

  
"...forgive me, ma sa'lath." she begged as he stumbled, blood pouring from the gaping wound, "This was the only way...Dorian said it needed so much blood, I never wanted to use it." she drew the amulet from a hidden pocket, the one Dorian had worked a full year on, the one he pressed into her palm as he lay dying from poison. It required a massive amount of blood to make it work, or one person...with very powerful blood.

  
Solas let out a wracking cough as blood seeped from his mouth, and collapsed down to his knees, kicking up ash. He was looking at her with a mixture of stunned approval, and pure despair, "Blood magic, Hallei?"

  
Frowning in concentration, Hallei began to chant the spell that activated the amulet. It began to spark and draw the blood from Solas, draining him. She tried to keep her eyes on the spell, she could only do this once. She was going to go back, as far as she could, and start over. She was going to save everyone. There was no other way, they deserved so much better than blight, death, and ash.

  
The amulet began to pulse wildly as Solas slumped forward, now deathly pale, as the blood was drawn from his body, "Forgive me..." she echoed over and over, "Forgive me...Ar lath ma'vhenan." she was choking on the words now, her throat too thick to say them properly. Solas gave no response as the amulet flared. She clutched her palm around it tightly and a small, unstable hole opened in the hair before her. With little more than gravity to propel her, she literally fell into the portal and into screaming darkness.


	2. Little Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that most of my elven comes from Fenxshiral's project Elvhen. Anything else I've completely made up or thrown together. I'll put translations next to everything to limit confusion. Enjoy!

Hallei felt herself slowly being dragged into consciousness. Her throat was dry, her leg was throbbing, and her face felt pinched and sticky with drying blood. Her eyes were crusted shut. Sunlight was streaming on her face and she wanted to relish in it. It had been so long since she had felt real sunlight, too long since she had smelled fresh grass, but her broken body would not stop hurting long enough for her to enjoy anything. There was a faint tingle on her skin that seemed to vibrate down into her very bones, she couldn't tell if it was from the spell or if she was just unused to fresh air. Voices, high and lilting were nearby. She couldn't understand the words being said.

  
"..h-help.." she rasped, her voice barely a whisper. She needed water, and more importantly, she needed information.

  
The voices stopped and she felt strong hands on her, carefully hoisting her up into a sitting position. They murmured between themselves. Elven...they were speaking Elven. Where did she go? How far back did the portal send her?

  
She was having trouble picking out words, she did understand the words 'hurt', 'strange', and 'magic', but everything else was either incomprehensible or hard to make out. They were speaking so softly.

  
Hallei frowned, "Please...water?" she asked in Elven, her voice cracking.

  
She felt something pressed to her mouth and a cool splash of liquid fell on her lips. She drank greedily, the water doing more to soothe her ragged throat and chase away the lingering taste of ash on her tongue.

  
One of the voices asked her a question, a female voice. She sounded concerned, and caring, but Hallei frowned. She had learned quite a bit of ancient Elven as she fought Solas' forces, but these voices were speaking too fast. "Speak slowly?" Hallei asked.

  
"Where are you from?" asked the female voice, slower this time.

  
Hallei sighed and shook her head tenderly, "Magic." was all she replied with. She did not have the words to tell these strangers that she was from a world that was destroyed by people just like them. For all Hallei knew, she had killed these very elves in the future. She swallowed hard, she didn't want to think about that right now. Right now, all she wanted was a health potion and a nap.

  
The other voice made a scoffing noise and she wanted to smirk, but instead her weight fell on her broken leg and she let out a cry of pain, dropping down to the ground with a hard thud. She grit her teeth, her good arm going to her thigh and clutching the tattered fabric there as she waited for the worst of the pain to subside.

  
The female made a noise of surprise and she felt hands on her back, "Take her with us. She will need a healer." she said, slowly, so Hallei could understand.

  
Hallei could only groan. She missed the garden in Skyhold with a sudden fierceness. She had a whole pot of elfroot growing when she left, but the realization that her garden in Skyhold had been burned soured the memory, and her face twisted with a grimace. "Yes..." was all she said to the woman who she still could not see. She didn't dare try to force her eyes open, she would likely lose all her eyelashes and the skin from her eyelids if she tried.

  
Her two rescuers carefully lifted her body and she was placed on something soft. It moved beneath her with powerful muscles, she could smell fragrant hay and well-oiled leather tack. She had been put on a horse, or...more accurately from the feel of the gait, a hart.

  
She was infinitely grateful it wasn't a horse, otherwise her leg would have been bouncing around even more painfully. It was already excruciating, and she was forced to bite down on her lip several times to keep from shouting as the hart gave a particularly hard lurch forward. The animal wanted to run, but the rider was doing their best to keep the gait slow and careful. Hallei appreciated the effort, but she knew the temperament of harts all too well. They held wild, free spirits, and it was honestly one of the reasons she loved them so much.

  
She must have passed out somewhere along the journey, because when Hallei became aware again, she was laying down on a soft bed in what was the most "elfy-elf" room she had ever seen. The ceiling had been painted with a beautiful, intricate mural of the stars, and dangling crystals emitted light that cast a golden glow on the white walls around her. It was very intimate, very cozy. The furnishings were scarce, a small bedside table held a goblet of water and a small bowl of fruit. A wash basin and tub were standing near a tall privacy screen. There was a wardrobe and a tall mirror in a corner, and a small table with two chairs sat near the door.

  
Hallei took quick stock of her injuries. She had been mercifully cleaned, though the grime that still clung to her skin told her they had only rinsed off most of the dried blood. Her chest had been bandaged, her broken leg wrapped tight, but it didn't feel broken. Her fingers trailed over her head, and she realized that her hair had been trimmed away, only a long ribbon of hair remained on top of her head, the rest had been shaved nearly down to her scalp.

  
Hallei frowned and pushed herself up, her hands feeling over the back of her head, her fingers brushed against the soft, fuzzy hair left, but felt no major injuries. She almost let out a scream when she realized with a start what she had just done. Her hands...hands. She had two.

  
She tried to keep her breathing steady as she pulled her hands in front of her face and marveled at her restored arm. It was obviously some sort of magic, as the skin was...different. It didn't feel like her arm, but it was. She recognized every vein, every freckle that dusted the skin, it was her arm, but it wasn't.

  
Hallei was fighting the strange bubble of hysterical panic that rose up in her at the sight of it. She wanted to yank it off again. She pinched the skin of her new arm and winced slightly as pain came, but it was muted, like the memory of pain in a dream. That thought made her stomach turn as she sat up fully in her bed. She felt like retching, until a quiet knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

  
"Enter." she said in common, without thinking. When the door didn't open, she frowned and switched to Elven.

  
The door swung open and a tall, willowy woman entered with graceful steps. She was dressed in a beautiful silken robe of bold colors, and carried a large pitcher of water and what looked to be a bowl of soup on a tray in the other. She wore Mythal's vallaslin on her forehead and cheeks, and Hallei had to swallow hard. She knew what those marks meant.

  
The woman placed her items on the table and started to ask her questions in quick Elven. Hallei could only stare blankly at her, "Speak slowly." she said carefully, trying to make her voice sound gentle.

  
The woman swallowed and looked visibly frightened for a moment before repeating herself, this time more slowly, "Would the Lady like a bath and a change of clothing? Mythal sends word that she would very much like to speak with you when you are able and ready."

  
Hallei stilled in her bed. Mythal...Mythal was alive and wanted to see her. She couldn't force her body to move, but every nerve was on high-alert. She tried to reason that Solas had once told her that Mythal was the best of the Evanuris. She was a protector and she was just. Hallei didn't have anything to fear just yet.

  
"My Lady?" the Elvhen woman asked softly, "Do you not feel well? You have gone very pale. I will fetch elixir." and before Hallei could protest, she was out the door again.

  
Hallei debated on just taking off and running, but without knowing where she was or even when she was it would be a phenomenally stupid thing to do. She had obviously traveled backwards in time, but she didn't know how far. A darting bit of light caught her attention then, it passed through her wall, bumped against her playfully, and then floated off again, straight up through her ceiling. Hallei just stared at it...it was a wisp. A wisp had just casually tried to play tag with her in the waking world.  
She struggled to find words. There was no veil yet.

  
She wanted to test this, and the easiest way was to cast a spell. Something simple, something non-destructive. A barrier.

  
She took a steadying breath. Barriers weren't exactly her best spell. She was never very good at the delicate nature of defensive spells, that had always been Solas' forte. His magic was always so graceful and intricate. He wove his spells like lace curtains. It always amazed her to watch him, even when some of those spells were aimed at her. Dorian's magic had always felt secretive to her, it was subtle, shadowy, stealthy. Often she didn't even realize Dorian was casting until she saw the spell with her own eyes. Vivienne's magic was a lot like hers, but more tightly controlled. Clinical even. Vivienne never used more force than was absolutely necessary.

  
Hallei's magic was, offensively, devastating. Vivienne had once told her she didn't so much manipulate the Fade as she punched holes through it. Hallei's magic was wild, forceful, and overwhelming. Lightning wrapped itself around her like a second skin, and she could conjure fire hot enough to rival a dragon's breath...but when it came to defense, she was useless. It was one of the main reasons she was always on the front lines, battling alongside her warriors instead of in the back with the rest of the mages. She was a battlemage in every sense of the word.

  
She frowned in concentration and cast her barrier spell, almost instantly, a blinding bubble of light erupted around her, nearly startling her right out of bed. It was a solid, stable wall of light that threatened to burn her eyes with its intensity. She let out a yelp and it dissipated, leaving her blinking and in shock.

  
She stared at her hands, they were shaking. It was entirely too easy to cast that. In her time, that barrier should have been too weak to even manifest as anything more than a slight glow.

  
Rapid footsteps were approaching now and her door was suddenly flung open, which caused her to reflexively flail backwards in alarm. Three very tall, very armored elves came barreling into her room, looking ready to fight. Hallei's reflexes kicked in suddenly and in a panic, another barrier went up, but this time she hadn't bothered to subdue her spell.

  
She had to admit, the damage was quite impressive. Her barrier, instead of being a weak thing, was an adamant, solid wall of magic wreathed in sparks of lightning. It had exploded outwards from her body and physically flung the surprised elves away. It didn't just block them, it pushed back, it attacked them.

  
Hallei let out another surprised yelp and her barrier dissipated. The three elves were quickly regaining their composure and she backed away instinctively until her back was pressed against a wall, she must have looked like a crazed animal, because the Elvhen man nearest to her held up his hands in a placating gesture.

  
"Please my Lady! We mean you no harm!" he said, just slowly enough for Hallei to understand. "We felt a powerful spell and we only came to see if you were in danger!"

  
It took a minute to understand what the man was saying, and slowly, very slowly she felt her magic ebb away as she realized she wasn't in danger. She glanced to the three men who had barged in and her face went pale, "..oh..oh no. Please...I'm so sorry." she stammered. One of them looked utterly terrified of her, while the other two just seemed concerned. "Are...are any of you hurt? Please forgive me." she whispered in Elven.

  
The first man nodded at her hesitantly, "We are fine, My Lady. Please pardon our intrusion. We did not mean to startle you so." he said with a tenuous air of authority. He reminded her painfully of Abelas, down to the vivid green vallaslin on his face. He turned his eyes away from her, and Hallei realized with growing mortification that she was in little other than her smallclothes and bandages.

  
"We will leave you in the hands of the servants." he said and gave her a respectful bow. The three of them exited quickly, leaving Hallei bright red and wanting nothing more than to sink into the floor.

  
Her servant returned, wide-eyed with a delicate looking crystal vial filled with what almost looked like lyrium, except it was bright green. She closed the door quickly behind her and went to Hallei's side, carefully checking her bandages as Hallei sat dumbfounded on the edge of her mattress.

  
"My Lady..." the woman started slowly, "Are you hurting? Please, drink this. You will feel much better." she pressed the vial into Hallei's hands and she sipped the liquid without question. It left a pleasant, tingly feeling on her tongue.

  
Hallei looked at the servant woman a little more closely, she appeared to be quite young. She had long, lovely golden hair that was braided tastefully to keep it from falling in her face. Her eyes were a perfect mimicry of forget-me-not blue, and the branches of Mythal's vallaslin were a rosy pink color that gave her a girlish, innocent appearance.

"What is your name?" Hallei asked her between sips of her elixir.

  
The woman gave a pause and Hallei thought she looked like she was about to be ill for a second. She regained her composure quickly and responded with a light-hearted smile, "If it pleases the Lady, she may call me Seranna"

  
Hallei gave her a weak, but appreciative smile, "My name is Hallei."

  
Seranna bowed deeply and gestured to the food on the table, " Are you not hungry, Lady Hallei? If not, I believe we can remove your bandages and prepare for your meeting with our Lady Mythal."

  
Hallei refused the food. Her stomach was tied up in too many knots. There were too many unknowns. Seranna 'tsk'ed slightly when she refused the food, but set to work removing the bandages anyway. She was amazed at how well she had healed, but swallowed hard when she realized she had been unconscious for almost two days since they found her. Seranna filled her in on some rumors about her sudden appearance in their world as Hallei gave herself a quick washdown. She wished she could go and find an actual bath, but something in the water of her basin was doing a remarkable job of removing what felt like years of grime from her body, all of this was further complicated by the awkwardness of her restored arm. She kept bumping the phantom limb into random objects, much to Seranna's amusement.

  
As it turns out, Seranna had an explanation for her arm. It was a memory of her arm, made physical by her magic and her will. This seemed like a fairly simple and nonsensical question to Seranna, and Hallei tried to hide her blatant amazement that she could just will missing body parts back into existence. She supposed it had to do with the veil being missing, as it very much felt like a waking dream, or the image of her arm she would conjure while she dreamt.

  
Seranna helped her dress as her injured leg was still tender. Apparently that had taken the most delicate of healing spells to stitch her bone and muscle back together. The clothing she was given seemed incredibly ornate and lavish. Vivienne would have been positively fawning over the material. She was wrapped in dark greens, golds, and scarlet reds that absolutely shimmered with luxury. The fabric felt like smooth butter against her skin, and Seranna had done some sort of trickery with her hair that made it positively glossy. She tied what little hair she had back into a simple ponytail, and her long ribbon of hair hung down her back, weighted with a few golden beads that clacked pleasantly as she walked.

  
She had to admit, she hadn't looked so important in her life, and this was coming from someone who was once touted as a prophet and savior of the world. It struck her then, why were they all treating her with such reverence? Why were they calling her 'Lady'? She was so used to hearing it in her own time that it didn't even occur to her until just now that it shouldn't be so in this world. She almost asked Seranna this very question, when the answer presented itself, written all over her face.

  
She didn't have any vallaslin.

  
That meant two things in this society, she was either so low and useless that she couldn't even be used as a slave, or she was someone very, very important. Hallei imagined her little stunt with the barrier had pretty much cemented her false status as someone who was definitely not a slave. That would probably work to her advantage, at least until she went to see Mythal in all of ten minutes.

  
Seranna spritzed a little bit of sweet smelling perfume over her head and lead her out of her room. The going was a bit slow, since her leg made her limp slightly on every other step, coupled with the fact her head was constantly swiveling back and forth in an effort to take in her surroundings.

  
Spirits, elves, creatures great and small all walked casually among each other through the wide, bustling corridor. It was a fairly simple building comprised of pale stone, but bold, colorful murals decorated the otherwise sparse walls. Mosaic tiles spread out before her feet that shimmered as she walked upon them. There was so much magic in the air it was billowing off her in shining, shimmery clouds. Seranna must have seen this, because she dropped away from her side slightly, looking at Hallei in unabashed awe.  
Hallei frowned and drew her aura in around her more tightly. It was harder than she thought, and took quite a bit of focus to keep it controlled, but the rolling clouds of magic died down to mere wisps of power that trailed behind her. Seranna  did not resume her spot beside her.

  
She wasn't sure she liked this whole overpowered thing. It would be too easy for people to abuse.

  
_Oh.._ she thought, her face going tense, _...that's exactly what they're doing_ , and her eyes trailed over to Seranna's vallaslin.

  
When they entered the main hall, she had to bite back the wave of memories that flooded her. It was set up the same way Skyhold's main hall was, but on a grander scale. Two long tables lined the sides of the room and were dressed with fine silver and a tantalizing assortment of foods. Elves of varying extravagance sat at the tables or mingled between them, chatting while servants wove between them like butterflies, flitting from one colorful group to another and tending to their needs. Ahead  on a dias sat an impressive throne of prismatic crystal and what could only be polished dragon scales.  Two smaller tables of distinction sat on either side of the throne, obviously meant only for those in Mythal's highest regard.

  
Seranna led her through the middle of the room, and Hallei had the distinct feeling of the room going silent in her wake. Jovial chatter died down into hushed, frantic whispers as she passed, and soon the entire hall had their eyes on her. It made her skin itch.

  
Mythal was standing near her throne, speaking with an Elvhen man. The Evanuris was a sight to behold, gone was the guise of Flemeth, the frail, aging human woman, and instead there stood a goddess who absolutely radiated power. Her mana was a physical thing that sang through the air in shimmering silver tendrils. As they approached, Hallei heard her laugh, the sound lyrical and she placed a gentle hand on the cheek of the man in front of her.

  
"Go now, and enjoy yourself, da'len." she said to the man, "Our lovely guest has awakened and I have many questions."

  
Hallei froze in her steps as Mythal turned to her and gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. The Evanuris motioned for Hallei to approach the dias and she struggled to make her feet move.

  
Oh.

  
...oh no.

  
No no no.

  
The man Mythal had been speaking to had turned, and she felt her entire stomach threaten to drop onto the floor. It was Solas, the younger version of himself. Before he had assumed the mantel of Fen'Harel. Before his rebellion, before his sleep, before he had called her 'Vhenan', before he had destroyed the world....before she had killed him.  
He was armored much like the elves who had previously barged into her room after her stunt with the barrier, except a cloak of fur decorated his shoulders and he bore no vallaslin. His hair was styled oddly like her own, shaved at the sides and back, with just a long ribbon of hair that hung around his shoulders. A wicked looking sword of what could have only been silverite inlaid with shards of lyrium rested on his hip.

  
He regarded her with calm indifference and took vigil beside Mythal as she lowered herself into her throne. Mythal looked at him with a raised eyebrow and gave him a light-hearted chuckle and a fond shake of her head, "You linger, my Pride? Does our guest worry you so?"

  
Solas visibly bristled and narrowed his eyes at Hallei in suspicion, "My guards tell me she is a woman of no small amount of power, despite her attempts to hide it. Please allow me to linger by your side, if only to calm my fears."

  
Mythal gave a very casual shrug and turned to Hallei, "Come, come Da'len..." she motioned for Hallei to approach again, "I have many questions you must answer for me."  
Her feet heavy as iron, Hallei approached slowly. Her mind was a torrent of images, ideas, lies, and truths. What could she say, what could she answer? Where was her nearest escape? Could she fight her way out? Can either of them read minds?

  
Mythal regarded her with eyes of molten gold, and Hallei recognized the look. She had seen it many times on the face of her Spymaster. It was the look of a woman who would know in a heartbeat if you were lying to her, because she already knew the answers to the questions she was going to ask. This was a test.

  
"Now then, I must say ean'ain, your appearance was quite a shock when I first found you. Someone cruelly clipped your wings and silenced your song. You seem to be fairing much better now, I can hear you singing, though you try to keep it whispered, even now." Mythal smiled at her, and Hallei's mind was reeling, trying to comprehend the complicated Elven and respond in kind, she decided to remain quiet until Mythal actually asked her a direct question.

  
That seemed to be the correct response, as Mythal tilted her head and continued, "Though perhaps that is wise, apparently your singing is quite a sight to behold, Ean'ain."  
She must be talking about the slip-up with the barrier. She didn't know if she should be happy or wrinkle her nose at 'ean'ain' though. She definitely didn't feel like a little bird.

She bowed her head in what she hoped was an apologetic guesture. "I had been startled, I regret any offense given.", Hallei murmured quietly.

  
This drew a few hushed whispers from behind her, and an appreciative hum from Mythal. "How sweet our guest is, my Pride. Do you not think so? She, the offended party, is the one giving apologies!"

  
Solas' eyes hardened into a steely flint briefly before he let out a long sigh and nodded, "Yes, my Lady. She is very kind."

  
"Since our Ean'ain is so sweet and bares no offense, my judgment for them will be equally as merciful." Mythal smiled to her again, setting Hallei on edge even further, despite the lingering sensation of relief in her chest, "They shall be given to her as a personal guard. Three of my best Sentinels, is this satisfactory?"

  
Hallei wanted to refuse. She really really wanted to, but if she knew anything about politics and how The Game was played, refusing this gift would be seen as a huge insult, and would likely mean the death of the poor guards who had only accidentally startled her. Hallei had enough of killing for at least three lifetimes.

  
She plastered on a smile and bowed her head reverently, laying on the courtesy like she was back in Orlais all over again, "It is more than satisfactory, thank you my Lady." she answered slowly. She stole a glance up at Solas, who had fixed her with a peculiar look she couldn't quite read.

  
"Tell me, Ean'ain, where do you come from?" Mythal asked, and suddenly Hallei's throat went dry. Mythal had been the kind voice that had found her when she landed. She had asked the same question then.

  
Her voice faltering and suddenly very small, Hallei managed to squeak out the only answer she could give, "...Magic."

  
Mythal's golden eyes twinkled with amusement and Solas' voice rang out, "That is -not- an answer." he hissed, accusing.

  
Hallei bristled at the tone and narrowed her eyes at Solas, which earned her a glare right back. "I can give no other answer." she ground out, trying not to lose her temper, "The place I was no longer exists. It was destroyed the moment I cast my spell." It wasn't a -total- lie.

  
Solas opened his mouth to speak again, but was silenced by Mythal's hand on his arm. His mouth snapped shut, but his glare remained on her. Hallei turned her eyes to Mythal, who still wore the same, serene smile. Mythal knew...somehow. She may not know the details, yet, but she knew Hallei wasn't from this time. "Very well, da'len. What name have you?", the Evanuris asked once the whispers died down again.

  
"My..my name is Hallei." she murmured, suddenly wishing she had made something up. Too late now.

  
"I thought I knew all the names of the Highest, but it seems, you are not among their number, are you? Who do you belong to, then?" Mythal asked, a slight edge creeping into her voice. It set the hairs on the back of her neck on end.

  
Her brain was rapidly firing away a reason, ANY reason why she bore no markings on her face, but Mythal's voice told her if she lied, she was caught. She would have to give her the truth, at least part of it.

  
"I belong to no one. I was set free and the marks removed from my face." Hallei said quietly, though the words seemed to echo through the silent chamber.

  
There was a long pause as Mythal looked over her, and Hallei paled under her scrutiny. She wondered if that had been the wrong thing to say, when Mythal's voice cut through the empty air. "Ar lasa mala revas." Mythal said gently, echoing her memories with uncomfortable clarity. Her eyes unwillingly flicked to Solas, who had a new expression on his face now, one that was dangerously close to admiration if she had to guess.

  
Hallei nodded at Mythal and fought the urge to fidget uncomfortably as a whispering din rose behind her from those gathered. Her leg was starting to ache.

  
"You must tell me the story of how you gained your freedom, Ean'ain. It would have been no simple task to earn such a thing, but for now, I think it best to let you rest." Mythal snapped her fingers and the three Sentinels that had startled her earlier came rushing forward. One stood guard behind, while the other two took positions at her side.  
"Please, escort the Lady Hallei to more appropriate quarters." she paused thoughtfully for a moment, before a bright smile graced her face, "Souver'melana (Autumn), I think. For her lovely hair."

  
Her new Sentinels gave a bow, and Hallei dipped into a respectful curtsey, then let herself be lead away from the chamber. She didn't dare look back.


	3. Spin a story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if I miss anything or mess anything up. Thank you so much for leaving kudos and nice comments. They really make my day, I love them so.

Her new Sentinel's names were Rosal'nin, their leader, and twins, Telbanath and Bana'ath. Rosal'nin thanked her cordially for finding no offense with them and Hallei gave him an apologetic smile.

  
"I didn't mean for this to happen. I know you all had better things to do than pretend to care about some silly girl's comings and goings." Hallei said off-handedly as they turned down a nearly deserted hallway.

  
Telbanath gave what could have almost passed for a laugh if he hadn't immediately tried to stifle it with a choking cough. Hallei flicked her eyes at him with a grin and saw his pale cheeks flush red.

  
"You are mistaken, My Lady." Rosal'nin said from behind her, "Our highest calling is to serve. I can think of much worse ways to do so than in the service of a Revas'len. You must have done something very worthy of respect to have earned such an honor."

  
Hallei ran the unfamiliar word over in her head, 'Free person'. She frowned slightly. In this society, dying in service of your chosen evanuris was often the highest honor they could achieve. To be raised as Revas'len, you had to have gone above and beyond...at least in the world before Solas' rebellion. Before Fen'Harel.

Right. She needed a plan.

  
Time to play a little of The Game.

  
Carefully she sized up the twins on either side of her. Telbanath, true to his name, was ghostly pale, but his youthful face held traces of laugh lines and a slight twinkle to his eyes. His steps were lighter, bouncier whereas his brother, Bana'ath was darker, heavier, more solemn. Rosal'nin was the very picture of control, from his face, to his posture, to the way his sword sat on his hip.

  
Telbanath or Seranna would be the ones to talk to if she wanted information.

  
Feigning ignorance and adopting a lighthearted air she turned to Telbanath and began her Game.

  
"Who was the man at Mythal's side? The one she kept calling Pride?" she asked, putting on her most dazzling smile for him.

  
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Bana'ath answered instead, his voice was much deeper than she'd imagined, the cadence of it nearly made her lose focus, "He is like you, my Lady. Revas'len."

  
Hallei hummed softly and asked again, "What did he do to earn such a thing?"

  
"He saved the Mother from a plot that would have claimed her life and brought the ruin of Elgar'nan upon us all." came his stoic, grim reply. "When the heinous plot was revealed, Mythal rose him to the position of General and named him her protector."

  
"He is Revas'lin, Taraje'len, he is her wolf." Rosal'nin added from behind her.

  
"Impressive titles..." Hallei trailed off, _though they were missing one or two_ , she thought bitterly.

  
They came around a new corridor and Hallei had to pause and marvel at what lay before her. The wing was shaped like a semi-circle, with several doors and archways leading away to different rooms. Planted in the middle of the courtyard was a huge, ancient tree, its leaves a dazzling array of Autumn colors. Each leaf was vivid and gemlike, and a cool refreshing breeze swept over her from some unseen place, making the giant tree whisper and rustle. Fluttering leaves fell all around her in a swathe of color, but disappeared once they touched the floor. It was magic like she had never seen and she immediately loved it.

  
Telbanath finally spoke from her side, his voice much like his brother's, "Mythal chose well for you."

 

Her new room was much larger than her previous one and with a bit of a wry grin, she realized it was set up nearly the same as her room in Skyhold. There was a large comfortable bed, a sofa for lounging, a warm fireplace, a desk, a wardrobe, bookshelves, a private bathing area, and a balcony that looked out over what appeared to be a communal garden and courtyard.

  
Seranna had found her again and Hallei was glad for it. She had bowed out when she was brought before Mythal and hadn't seen her since. She liked the woman, she didn't ask her too many hard questions.

  
Seranna also had a lot of useful information that she was eager to relay to Hallei, and she suspected that was because the girl wasn't used to being treated with the level of difference Hallei was giving her. They were becoming fast friends, and Hallei was glad for it. She needed friends again.

  
Hallei got a quick tour, was shown how the baths work, and how to summon her or another servant should she need anything.

  
"Though, unless I'm doing something for Mythal or any of the Evanuris, you will find me running to your side." Seranna giggled happily.

  
Hallei nodded and giggled with her a bit more before Seranna excused herself to go fetch some dinner.

  
The door clicked quietly behind her as Seranna left, and Hallei let out a long, exhausted sigh. She finally, FINALLY released her aura which raced away from her like a tidal wave. It crashed against the walls and blew open her balcony doors with a force that left her breathless. She was going to have to be more careful here. In a time without the veil, her already forceful magic was even more potent.

  
"Ugh...I can breathe!" she called out happily and flopped herself onto her bed. Carrying her aura so close like that all day had been like trying to keep an overly long, and unexpectedly heavy cloak from dragging on the ground. Releasing it had been like removing it entirely, and, she noted with relief, the strange billowing clouds of power that were following her earlier had subsided.

  
"..maybe it's only when there is a lot of people around. All that magic concentrated in one area." she mused to herself. "That has to be it.."

  
She sat up, and began to pull of layers of clothing. The fine, silken fabrics fell away one by one until she was left with just a simple tunic and a single robe. She thought briefly about taking a real, actual bath and the thought made her giddy. She waited impatiently for Seranna to return with dinner, which was fairly quickly, but not quick enough for Hallei's tastes.

  
Seranna had merely laughed at her as she quickly drank her broth and ate her bread. It seemed like they were afraid she would break, and the light soups weren't very filling.  She made a mental note to ask Seranna if there was anything a bit more filling on the menu. She would kill for some roasted chicken and potatoes, even if she had to make them herself.

  
When dinner was drank down she all but flung herself towards the bath, shucking off the rest of her robes and pulling the ties and beads from her hair. Seranna laughed at her again, following behind and picking up her trail of discarded accessories.

  
She had to admit, the ancient Elves definitely knew how to be luxurious, especially when it came to baths. Her room connected to an open air bathing chamber with a large, tiled pool in the center. A mosaic of the large, autumnal tree in the courtyard was laid into the floor in glittery tiles. Arched, stained glass windows surrounded her, with a few thrown open to the view outside. The sunlight hit the colored glass in beautiful stream of colored light, and it was all very breathtaking. She almost didn't want to get in at all, she could hardly believe this entire room was hers alone.

  
Her mood was soured slightly when Seranna came back into view, holding a basket of colorful jars and scented soaps. Her eyes caught on the woman's pink vallaslin, and Hallei had to remind herself that all of this beauty was possible because of slaves. Her ancestors, her people...

  
Seranna interpreted her sullen mood as the need to relax, so the older woman all but shoved her into the pool. Hallei laughed and finally consented, simply saying, "It's just not what I'm used to. It's all so grand."

  
Hallei let out a sigh as her body sank into the heated water. She was fairly sure there was some sort of magic at work. The water stayed warm, and tingled on her skin slightly. Again, what seemed like years of caked on grime was sloughing off her body, and underneath was new, soft skin. She could swear some of her scars were fading as well. She looked at her arm, her there-but-not-there arm, it still disoriented her to see it. She rubbed idly at the lacework of scars where her stump should be, they were growing fainter as well.

  
"So, what is the story?" Seranna asked as she carefully folded towels, her eyes locked onto Hallei's arm, "You must have done something incredible to be released as Revas'lan."

Hallei peeked over the edge of the bath to look at Seranna, "I'm not sure how to tell the story. I don't want to give names."

  
Seranna fixed her with a look that reminded her far too much of Cassandra. Hallei swallowed hard, desperately fighting the memory and said, her voice a little shaky, "Alright alright...I'm not the best story teller though."

  
Seranna smiled happily and tucked away the folded towels, scooting her wooden stool right up to the side of the bath and taking Hallei's hand. Seranna started to rub a bit of some sweet-smelling oil into Hallei's skin, and Hallei simply smiled at her, gathered her thoughts for a moment, opened her mouth to speak and...

  
Nothing.

  
Nothing came out. She couldn't think of anything that would have earned her freedom. She stuttered a bit and Seranna let out a light laugh, "You weren't kidding. You're terrible at this."

  
Hallei splashed a bit of water at her and Seranna let out a squeak, "You asked!" she said a bit indignant, "Just give me a minute! A lot happened for it to come to that point and it was quite a few years ago."

  
Seranna smiled serenely and gently started to work her fingers through Hallei's hair with a patient hum. The woman seemed perfectly content to wait, as if she had all the time in the world. Hallei felt her stomach twist anxiously, everyone else had time. She did not.

  
Frowning and biting down on her lip, Hallei thought again, but this time really concentrated. _Might as well start at the beginning_ , she thought to herself and let out a long sigh. She held out her restored arm, narrowing her eyes at where the anchor used to reside in her palm. "Well..I was only..I think maybe twenty-three at the time.", she murmured softly, hoping Seranna would be able to hear her.

  
Seranna tilted her head curiously, sending her pretty golden curls over her shoulder, "Twenty-three hundred?" she asked, looking a bit taken aback.

  
Hallei paled slightly. It was easy to forget she was surrounded by ancient immortal elves sometimes. They looked so normal, except all of them were stupidly tall for no reason. "N-no.." Hallei said, cautiously, "Just twenty-three."

  
Seranna's blue eyes went wide in shock, "You were a baby!!"

  
Hallei laughed nervously, "Yeah...I guess I was pretty young." She desperately held on to the thought that she wasn't lying, not really. It made her feel better just slightly. She was by no means a terrible liar when she needed to be, she just hated when she needed to be. The truth was always better. Always.

  
"What happened?!" Seranna asked in an almost panicked tone, her hands had gone from combing her hair to gripping at her shoulders. Hallei wondered idly just how old Seranna thought she actually was.

  
"Well, one of the Evanuris had his foci stolen by a dark creature from the void." Hallei waved her hand around in the air vaguely, hoping she wouldn't have to give details, "I happened to interrupt a ritual the creature was performing, and got the foci back." Seranna let out a shocked gasp.

  
"You were so little though." Seranna put a hand over her chest, her voice light and reverent. "..Just a baby.."

  
Hallei tilted her head back and frowned at the blonde woman, "I wasn't that little!" she muttered, "Anyway... After I touched the foci I got some kind of mark on my hand from it. The mark gave me abilities over...spirits. So...uh, they promoted me to a General? I think that's the equivalent position. I worked there for a time, helping to stop the thief from destroying everything. I...I was freed a-after that." Hallei had to stop as she felt hot tears start to prick at her eyes.

_**Ar lasa mala revas. You are so beautiful.** _

The sound and smell of water matched up with her memory. The slight tingle on her skin, the way her heart skipped a beat when he looked at her with new eyes. Her voice had sputtered out...this was harder than she thought.

  
Seranna looked confused at first and then a horrorfied sort of conclusion swept over her face for a moment before she asked in hushed tones, "...it was Dirthamen wasn't it? Is that why you can't give details? That would make sense, even a Revas'lan would want to keep His secrets."

  
That was the break Hallei was hoping for. Dirthamen was the most mysterious and probably creepiest of the Evanuris. He would be a perfect scapegoat as long as no one actually asked Him in person. She felt fairly certain Seranna wouldn't. She turned to look Seranna in the eye and very seriously, nodded her head once.

  
"No wonder you were freed." Seranna said, a bit breathless as she put a hand on Hallei's damp shoulder. "Our honor is to die for our Evanuris...but to suffer for them? Especially one so young...it's incredible. What have you been doing since then?"

  
Hallei sputtered slightly, she wasn't entirely sure how to answer that one. "I..uh...magic?" she supplied lamely.

  
Seranna huffed and rolled her eyes, gathering up the freshly folded towels, "I would have understood if you just said you couldn't tell me." She stood a bit stiffly and then dipped into a practiced, easy bow, "You are full of secrets Lady Hallei, and you hold them well."

  
"Seranna..." Hallei started, apologetic. "It's just really hard for me to explain."

  
"It's quite alright, Revas'lan. I'll let you finish your bath and fetch some refreshments for you."

  
Before Hallei could say anything else, Seranna turned on her heel and marched out. Hallei sighed heavily and scrubbed her face and her head with her hands, trying desperately to make her brain work better. She would need a better story to tell Mythal. She needed Varric.

  
"...you would have spun a story, wouldn't you, Varric? It's more believable." she murmured to the empty bath around her, echoing the voices of her memory. "What part should I play in this one?"

  
Her only answer was the soft dripping of water and the low crystalline hum of the room's sconces. With a heavy sigh, Hallei hoisted herself out of the water and dried off. She wrapped herself in a thin robe and wandered back out into her room, her thoughts heavy.

  
She felt blind in this world. She knew so little about it. She was fumbling around in the dark without even knowing there was danger all around. She hadn't felt this inept in years.

  
_Not since I was twenty-three, and barged into a room I shouldn't have barged in to. Grabbing things I should never have picked up._ Memory swept over her like a blanket and she had to sit, unable to bear the weight of it. Flashes of her life, of her Inquisition, of her friends, of the lives they tried to live before she asked them to return, of the failures against Solas' forces, of each and every death swept over her with a force that left her breathless.

  
She was too small in a world that was suddenly far, far too big. How was she supposed to save Solas here? How long was it until his rebellion? Would it be as simple as not letting Mythal die?

  
_No_ , she thought bitterly for a moment as she glanced around her opulent room, built by the hands of slaves, _the rebellion needs to happen. The distribution of power in this world needs to be checked._

  
A quiet knock on her door drew her attention away. Thinking it was Seranna who had returned, she didn't give a thought when she called, "Enter!" and bent over to pick up her discarded clothing that still lay in a pile on the floor.

  
A harsh cough made her whip around in shock, arms full of colorful fabric. Solas stood naught but three feet away from her, and the sight of him made her arms go slack, spilling all the heavy fabrics onto the floor.

  
It made her chest ache to see him again. He was mostly aloof, his back straight and professional. He held his hands clasped behind his back, his chin held high. He was downright regal, but less burdened with the horrors of war. There were no shadows behind his eyes, no haunted memories that followed him. He was younger, free, and beautiful. She couldn't tell if she wanted to kiss him or yell at him. The feeling was very confusing.

  
"Revas'lan." He greeted her, with a polite incline of his head.

  
"S-sol.." she started, but caught herself, "Ah...uh..R-Revas'lin." she greeted, and gave a somewhat shaky curtsy.

  
He arched an elegant brow at her and his lips turned up in a smirk. It was a look she knew too well. He often wore it when she was doing something he thought was particularly endearing.

  
That's a good sign at least.

  
"I came to apologize." he straightened his back and dipped his chin, another sting of memory hit her, but she swallowed it, forcing it down and away. This was not him, this was not her vhenan, not yet...not for a thousand years at least. "It was unworthy of me to accuse you so. You came to us in obvious distress, and in need of help."

  
Hallei shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, he had that -look- on his face again, and finally she asked, "Can we sit? My leg..." and she motioned to the sofa. Her leg was only slightly uncomfortable, but her head was spinning so fast she felt as if she would be swept away at any moment.

  
He looked horrified for a moment and nodded eagerly, "Yes! Of course! My apologies again!" and Hallei marveled as his mask of cool indifference fell, revealing a much younger man beneath the stoic mantle of 'Taraje'len' (Commander/General). He nearly scrambled forward and took her newly restored hand and placed his other hand on her waist. Ever so gently he guided her to the sofa and let her sit. Still holding her hand, he went and sat across from her and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

  
Hallei's chest felt tight and she had to remind herself to breathe for a moment.

  
"Am I forgiven?" he asked her gently, his lips brushing against her skin in whisper soft caresses. She fought against the shiver that went up her spine at the feel of it. His eyes flicked upwards to her and she caught the mischievous glint there.

  
_Oh this asshole..._ she thought, smirking at him.

  
"Yes, you are forgiven, Revas'lin." she sighed in exasperation and removed her hand from his grasp.

  
He let out a light-hearted chuckle that made her chest tighten uncomfortably again. She was suddenly unsure if she could do what she set out to do. She had to save this man from himself, but it was so hard to do that when she was constantly reminded of the man she loved. The man she killed. She knew, if she did her job correctly, she would simply cease to be. Erased from the timeline, able to join her friends in death...or something like it.

  
Her dark thoughts must have been showing on her face, because Solas' tone was one of sincere concern, "Does your leg still pain you?"

  
She spared him a small smile, "I'll be alright. It's just a little tender." she admitted.

  
She was not expecting to feel the gentle tingle of healing magic, and she was definitely not expecting his long fingers on her thighs. She nearly jumped straight off the couch, which caused him to frown heavily at her like they would a disobedient child.

  
"Please, allow me to properly heal your leg. It is the least I can do." he said firmly in a tone that was less asking and more commanding.

  
Hallei tried to sputter a reply, but his hands were back on her thigh and the pleasant tingling of his magic slowly eased away the ache that had been building in her leg all day. She let out a soft, relieved sigh as the pain ebbed away. Her leg felt almost better than new now.

  
"Thank you..." she said sheepishly. She hadn't even realized how much her leg was hurting until the pain was gone.

  
"It was a simple spell." he shrugged, "I'm actually quite surprised you did not heal it yourself, sooner."

  
"I've never been able to master the intricate nature of healing magic." she admitted freely. _No, no..don't get too comfortable_ , she chastised herself mentally, _He doesn't need to know anything about you. Be aloof, be calm, this is a mission._

  
Solas raised another eyebrow at her, and tilted his head to the side. She had to bite down on her lip sharply to stop a laugh. He looked like a confused puppy.

  
"You can't perform healing magic? Rosal'nin had lead me to believe you were very talented when it came to spells." he frowned at her, confused.

  
Hallei ran a hand over her neck anxiously, a habit she had picked up from Cullen. It let her remember him fondly, instead of the brutal way he died, "I am more inclined towards offensive magics. Elemental attacks, a little bit of swordplay, mostly lightning and fire though."

  
_Why did I tell him that?!_ , her mind was screaming at her now, _Stop telling him everything! This isn't Solas!_

  
Solas' eyebrows rose in surprise, "Panathe'virelan.(Battlemage)" he said, not bothering to disguise the awe in his voice. "Not a path walked lightly."

  
Hallei nodded, "I cannot say it has served me well, because I am still alive, and everyone I have ever held dear is dead."

  
The light-hearted chat they were having suddenly shifted into something much darker at her admission. She sighed heavily, the weight of truth and time pressing down on her. She hung her head slightly, her eyes fixed on her newly restored hand.

  
"When I found you..." Solas started gingerly, following her line of sight and unsure of how to begin his question, "You were covered in blood. Soaked in it, actually. I could smell ash on your clothes, and your arm...your arm was completely gone. You were sobbing, calling out for your love."

  
Hallei's heart froze in her chest and she dared not look up at the man before her. The room was too small, he was too close. She swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her, "Yes." was all she said, her voice strained and tiny.

  
"What happened to you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, "Who hurt you so?"

  
She let out a bitter, choked laugh as tears spilled over her lashes and onto her new hand. He shifted and carefully took her smaller hands in his in what she was sure he meant as a comforting gesture, but it just made her cry harder, "H-harellan (traitor)..." she said finally, between sobs, and she couldn't tell if she was saying to him, or to the man he would become.

  
"Please Revas'lan, no more tears.." his fingers were brushing away the tears that fell, delicate and gentle as she had always remembered.

  
"Hallei." she murmured, doing her best to take control of her emotions again. "Or even Ean'ain. That grew on me." she let out a strained, half-hearted chuckle and chanced a glance up at him through her lashes. He was smiling at her. A pure, unrestrained smile she had only seen on his face a handful of times. She cherished every single one in her memory.

  
"Mythal is very adept at choosing names for her own. If the name Hallei brings you such despair, I will venture to call you Ean'ain instead."

  
Hallei nodded, she didn't want the Solas of the future to remember her true name anyway. Let him call her 'Little bird' now and forget.

  
She sniffled again and a stray tear wound it's way down her cheek, he reached forward again and gently brushed it away, and without thinking, she leaned her face into his touch. His hand cradled her, a small fond smile on his lips as his thumb gently soothed her skin in soft, almost affectionate strokes. She met his eyes, unsure of what was happening, a breath passed between them, he shifted closer to her...

  
A knock on the door broke whatever spell had come over the both of them. Hallei pulled away first, her cheeks burning fiercely. She glanced over at Solas, who looked equally as embarrassed and confused as she was.

  
"E-enter!" she called out, her voice a bit too high-pitched for her liking. Seranna stepped into the room, carrying a full tray of fruits and a pitcher. She stopped when she caught sight of Solas and she dipped into a respectful bow, "Taraje'len, we were not expecting you! Are you wishing to stay and join my Lady for some refreshments? Should I fetch another tray?"

  
Solas cleared his throat and stood, his mask of 'Commander' slipping back into place with practiced ease, "No, that will not be necessary, I merely came to offer the Lady my apologies for my abhorrent behavior earlier today. Mythal was correct, she is very kind and has forgiven me easily."

  
Seranna hummed happily and nodded in agreement, setting to work unloading the tray and picking up the discarded robes Hallei had dropped earlier.

  
Solas turned back to her and took her hand again, pressing another burning kiss to her knuckles. "Please call on me when you are feeling refreshed, my Lady Ean'ain. I would very much like to see your skills put to good use." he then gently released her hand, gave a small bow, and left without another word. Hallei suddenly could find no words.

  
Seranna gave an excited squeal and plopped down on the sofa next to her, their earlier disagreement apparently forgotten, "You caught the eye of Taraje'len!" she teased, "You've only been here a few days! You must tell me what you two were speaking of!" she trailed off, wanting to know more, but Hallei could barely make out what the girl was saying, she was talking far too quickly.

  
Hallei laughed and waved off the excited woman, "It wasn't like that! He came to apologize and I ended up acting like a complete fool. I started blubbering like a child and probably made him think I'm slow."

  
Seranna looked at her oddly, "You cried?" she asked, her tone softer, "Why were you crying?"

  
Hallei let out a tired breath and rubbed her neck again, "He asked what happened to me, he told me what I looked like when he...found me." she trailed.

  
Seranna's face paled and she became noticeably uncomfortable. There was a long, awkward silence before Seranna's eyes grew distant and she spoke in a whispered, strained tone, "There was so much blood." Hallei frowned and noticed the woman's hands had fisted on themselves, her knuckles white. "They told me to tend to you. To wash your body so that the healers could even find your injuries. Most of the blood didn't even look to be yours."

  
Hallei shifted and put a reassuring hand on Seranna's shoulder, unsure of what to say to cheer the woman.

  
"I don't think I can even stand the sight of blood again." Seranna's face was ashen, "You felt so small, and you were completely limp. It was like trying to wash a dead child. You..you'll have to forgive me, my Lady.." she sucked in a deep breath, she was visibly shaking and trying to hold back tears.

  
"Oh Seranna...oh no no...please Seranna don't cry!" Hallei pleaded and wrapped her arms around the traumatized woman. Letting her whimper and sniffle into her shoulder, she whispered apologies and gently pat her back. Soon, Seranna began to calm, and she excused herself rather hurriedly, saying she needed to get her clean clothes ready and finish the rest of her chores for the day. Hallei wished her a good night and picked at the food brought to her. She had been hungry before, but now her stomach felt like it resided in her throat.

  
She ate and sipped at her tea in silence, letting the concerns of the day play over in her head. She was safe enough here in Mythal's temple, and in the perfect place and position to make sure Solas never became the man she knew from her time. That part struck her as fairly odd, that spell had placed her exactly where she needed to be, when she needed to be there. Was her luck really that good?

  
Hallei frowned deeply, she must have been quite an awful sight when she arrived in this time to have traumatized people like she did Seranna. From the sounds of it, she must have looked like she went swimming in a blood filled lake.

  
Her stomach twisted into an ugly knot as the realization dawned on her.

  
_...oh no. No...no, please._

  
The ritual she had used to activate the amulet called for blood. When she came to this timeline, she had literally been drenched in Solas' blood.

 


	4. Too small, Too big

Her thoughts were dark as she pondered the possibility of having arrived in her current time soaked in the blood of the man she called her heart. _Is that why I went so far back? Is that why the portal brought me straight to where he was?_ She rolled the questions over and over in her mind until none of them made sense any more. There were so many questions, so many things that could go wrong, so many things she had to do.

  
And then there was Solas. This younger Solas.

  
He was so different, and yet so alike the man she fell in love with. It felt strange to her, like she was attracted to her lover's younger brother. That thought made her slightly uncomfortable. Her face burned as she remembered his lips pressed to her fingers and she absentmindedly rubbed the area with her thumb.

  
_That was stupid._ She berated herself over and over as she flopped over in bed, thinking about what happened earlier with Solas. She was a grown woman, and for some reason, even after all the years and fighting between them, he still somehow managed to turn her into a blushing, giggling girl. She was a warrior, dammit! She was a leader! She was competent!

  
...and she was still a foolish woman in love.

  
Hallei let out a frustrated groan and threw her arms over her eyes. She couldn't let this happen. Not again. _Your fate is to die_ , her mind supplied dismally, _You cannot love him here. You had your chance, and you two had your time. Here, he is only your mission. You cannot love him and then disappear._

  
She let out a hollow laugh as the unfortunate parallels fell into place. She knew now how Solas felt back in the days of the Inquisition, when a much younger, much more innocent version of herself was chasing after him. She was always so full of questions, throwing little gifts at him, giving him every smile, every laugh. She loved him completely and wholly, with nothing held back. It was only now, in this position and in this time, that she could truly see the restraint he must have been mustering. She respected him just a little bit more for it.

  
It was a long while before Hallei fell asleep, her thoughts too wrapped up in the past and future.

  
Hallei wasn't sure how dreaming was supposed to work without the veil, but apparently it wasn't all that different from her regular dreams...in that everything was absolute hell.

  
_Memories of bloody battlefields haunted her steps as she walked through her nightmares. Ahead, the sounds of fighting were just out of her line of sight. She picked up the pace, frantic. She had to get over the hill, she had to save them!_

  
_Screams of terror echoed all around her, and Dorian's familiar voice carried over the din, "Die, filth!" he shouted._

  
_"Dorian!!" she screamed, but her voice sounded far away and muffled. She couldn't yell loud enough for him to hear, "Dorian!! Wait! Wait for me! I'm coming!" she pushed her way up the hill, but her feet sank into the muck and ash. She would scramble up a few steps, only to slide back down again. She was sobbing as she heard the fighting continue, "DORIAN!" she screamed again, desperately trying to get him to hear her. She could feel her lungs burning from the effort, taste the ash on her tongue, the mud caked on her skin. She flung herself at the hillside, scraping her skin raw clawed her way upwards. Her fingernails scrabbled for purchase in the slick mud and inch by agonizing inch, she made her way slowly up the hill._

  
_When she crested the muddy embankment, the sounds of battle had stopped, Dorian lay still, his body riddled with arrows. She held her breath, the sound suddenly too loud in the silence. "Dorian?" she whispered to him, trying to force her body to move through the thick mud that held her down. She fought for every step with all the strength she could muster, "Just hold on Dorian, I'm coming!!" she screamed out to him. No answer._

  
_When she finally, finally reached him, his eyes were glassed over and blankly staring at the sky above. She fell to her knees, the ground beneath suddenly sharp as glass and biting into her knees. The pain fell by the wayside as she gently cradled Dorian's face in her hands. Black, throbbing veins had appeared over his neck and temples, and dark oozing blood was slowly leaking out of his nose. "No...no...Dorian! Dorian please don't leave me my friend, please not you too...", she begged him in broken whispers, but Dorian did not stir and did not blink._

  
_She clutched his body to her, and screamed._

  
_The sound that rang from her was visceral, guttural. It shook the air around her. She was drowning in it, drowning in blood, and ash, and mud._

 

* * *

  
"Hallei! Hallei Tarlan! Sathan, ma rya thena!" (Lady Hallei! Please, you must wake up!)

  
Someone was shaking her awake. Strong hands clutched at her shoulders. Her eyes snapped open and caught the sight of golden armor. Armor she knew belonged to her enemies. Armor that meant danger.

  
She let out another scream of panic, hands flailing and clawing at the arms that held her. Her only thought was escape. She had to escape.

  
She took in a deep breath and lightning erupted from her body with an ease she had never known. It wrapped around her form like the gentle caress of a lover, and sent lethal spires of pure, hot light in every direction. The hands that where holding her violently jerked as her power rolled through them, they fell to the ground, paralyzed at her feet.  
Once the grip on her had been released she did the only thing she could in her panicked state, and ran. She ran through dimly lit, unfamiliar hallways, past tall, startled Elves. She ran hard and fast, leaping over obstacles and over an open balcony. She landed hard, rolled, sprang up onto her feet and took off again. It was only when she found herself surrounded on all sides by thick trees and cool grasses that she stopped and sank into the gnarled roots of a tree. The familiar smell of dirt and leaves cradled her as she clutched at her head, trying to make sense of the world.

  
_Dorian died again. How could he die again? Where am I?_

  
Slowly, the pieces fell back into place. She had been having a nightmare. She was in Mythal's palace. She had been screaming.

  
Panic and adrenaline were quickly replaced with shame and despair. She folded her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, rocking back and forth desperately and trying not to choke on her sobs. She was too small, too small in a world that was far, far too big. _You can't do this by yourself_ , her thoughts echoed oddly in her own head, _You never could. You always had them. You can't do this by yourself._

  
The sound of hurried footsteps caught her attention and she was immediately on the alert. She shifted into a more aggressive stance, tucking her feet beneath her like a large cat ready to pounce. The rough bark of the tree at her back brought her into focus, she could smell ozone in the air as her power came to the surface.

  
Rosal'nin and Bana'ath burst through the bush opposite her, followed by a slightly shaky Telbanath. Bana'ath let out an audible sigh of relief when he laid eyes on her, and made a move to step forward, but Rosal'nin put a hand on his shoulder.

  
"Hold." he commanded, holding out his arms. Hallei tilted her head at him oddly. Rosal'nin was looking at her in a strange mixture between concern and fear.

  
Right. She probably looked like she was going to murder everyone or bolt again.

  
With a great deal of effort, she drew back her mana and sank to her knees in the dirt.

  
"I'm..I'm sorry..." she said in common, without realizing it. Tears sprang up in her eyes again, "I'm so sorry...the nightmare, my magic. I didn't know." she was hyperventilating now, unable to process her nightmare and the aftermath all at once.

  
Rosal'nin dropped his arms and approached her with slow steps, "My Lady..." he started, very slowly and in a soft voice she assumed was supposed to be soothing. "You are safe here. Please let us escort you back to your chambers."

  
Hallei looked up at the stoic man, trying her best to convey to him without words how ashamed and afraid and -sorry- she was. He held out his hand for her to take and she clutched onto it like a lifeline. Bana'ath was beside her, tossing a thick cloak over her shoulders and looking a bit like a startled deer. Telbanath stood across from her, keeping his distance. She turned her gaze to the pale man, and realized he bore the signs of her attack. Telbanath had been the one that had grabbed her.

  
"Ir abelas, Telbanath..." she whispered to him, "I didn't even know it was you. Your...your armor...all I saw was the armor and I just had to get away."

  
Bana'ath's deep voice from her side made her jump slightly. He apologized quickly and asked, "Our armor startles you?"

  
Hallei attempted to swallow, but her throat ached. She merely nodded in response.

  
Rosal'nin gently tugged her to her feet, making sure she was decently covered by the cloak. He frowned slightly and said, "Then we will procure new armor. We are no longer Sentinels."

  
It was both a command and a question. Hallei glanced at the twins and they both gave her a reassuring nod. She sucked in a shaky breath and simply said, "Yes." quietly, hoping that they knew how very grateful she was.

  
Rosal'nin started to lead her away by her hand, she couldn't tell if he was holding on to her, or if she refused to let go of him. Either way, made no mention of it as he cut through a few manicured bushes and onto a tiled pathway. Apparently she had run into a garden, she thought she had made it all the way out into a forest.

  
Telbanath and Bana'ath were tight at her sides, shielding her from the view of some curious onlookers. She could hear the whispers, but none of them seemed malicious. Everyone just seemed genuinely startled that she had come hurtling through the hallway. Her eyes however, were locked onto Telbanath at her side.

  
"Please." she whispered to the taller man, her voice trembling with the effort of simply speaking, "Pl-please f-forgive me."

  
Telbanath reached up and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and then gave it a firm squeeze. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and placed her free hand over his. Telbanath was a man of little words, she was realizing. Her earlier assessment of him being the twin who was free with his words was completely wrong, but she understood the message. She was forgiven. That was all that mattered. She needed friends. She couldn't do this on her own.

  
Telbanath removed his hand as they turned down a corridor she had never seen before. Or at least one she didn't remember seeing. It was decked out in bright, vibrant greens and sunny oranges. Bold colors swirled in wavy murals that reminded her of the ocean, and in the middle of the wide courtyard, surrounded by a pool of the bluest water she had ever seen, was a massive tree in full, plush greenery. Floating, colored lanterns bathed the courtyard in warm colors, and festive, glittery streamers seemed to smile at her from where they were strung up along the boughs and trunk of the tree.

  
_Summer. I ran through the Summer wing._ her mind provided. It made sense. She saw four hallways on the way to her quarters, since she was in Autumn, it served reason that they were themed after the seasons. She hoped she didn't disturb anyone as she made her frantic sprint. It was bad enough she probably woke everyone within earshot with her scream and flash of magic. _Just be glad you didn't kill anyone._ , came a bitter voice in her head as she looked at Telbanath again.

  
Rosal'nin gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze and then released her as he came to a stop. He turned his shoulders to attention, using his bulk to hide her smaller form from whoever was in front of them. She cut her eyes to the side and noticed the twins had straightened their shoulders as well, they all looked extremely tense.

  
"Taeraje'len(second in command)." the voice greeted, taken aback. "What has happened here?"

  
"Taraje'len." Rosal'nin answered stiffly and Hallei went eerily still. She had never been so grateful for being so short before. If only she were small enough to sink into the floor or to disappear completely.

  
_If I could suddenly gain the ability to be invisible that would be fantastic right now_. She closed her eyes, but nothing happened. Of course not. Divine bad luck.

  
"Lady Hallei's sleep was disturbed this night. She merely wished for a walk to collect her thoughts." Rosal'nin sounded so sturdy, so very confident. His voice was completely at odds with the broken pieces of her that lingered behind him. She found strength in it, enough to ground her in the present and she wanted to hug him right then in gratitude.

  
"Lady Hallei?" She kept her eyes studiously trained on her bare feet, even though she could feel Solas' eyes on her. Silence stretched between them for what seemed like an eternity before she took a steadying breath and found the courage to meet his concerned gaze.

  
He was wearing a loose sleeping robe, much like the torn and tattered one she had hidden under the cloak Bana'ath had tossed onto her shoulders. She clutched the heavy thing closer around her body like a security blanket and gave the confused Solas a practiced smile. "I apologize for causing so many disturbances. I've had a trying few days, and I'm afraid my dreams aren't exactly...pleasant." she said to him, and he gave her a knowing sort of look.

  
"You are safe here." Solas echoed Rosal'nin's sentiments from earlier, just as earnestly.

  
"Thank you..." she whispered in a tiny voice. It was all she could say. She wished she could say she believed them, but she knew better. She was never safe. Since the moment she placed her hand on the orb, she was walking among wolves. Here was no different, except that it might actually be more dangerous. Here there were dragons.

  
Her eyes cut to a draconian statue of Mythal that stood in a decorated alcove not far away. Offerings and flowers littered the feet of it and she had the sudden, hysterical urge to bolt again. Solas had apparently saw where she was staring and cleared his throat in an authoritative manner, capturing her attention again, "The Mother need not know of this I think." he sounded casual, but there was an obvious command in his voice, " Lady Hallei has indeed had a trying few days. I believe a...stroll to clear her thoughts is completely warranted."

  
Rosal'nin, Telbanath, and Bana'ath clicked their heels and dipped their heads in a militaristic salute. She wondered if they would have actually told Mythal anything. How loyal were they to her?

  
She suddenly felt very stupid.

  
Mythal had assigned these sentinels to watch her, hadn't she? They were all reporting back to her. Hallei's gut twisted and she thought her skin was going to crawl off her bones. They were just spies.

  
"My Lady?" came Solas' voice, cutting through her thoughts. Had he been speaking?

  
"Uh...say again?" She asked, trying to wrestle with the thought of being surrounded by traitors. "I think I'm a bit overtired. I didn't hear you."

  
Solas nodded in agreement and clasped his hands behind his back. She briefly wondered how he managed to look so damn regal in just a sleeping robe. He inclined his head politely to her and said quietly, "I simply asked that the next time you decide to go on a stroll, you would perhaps allow me to accompany you. Tonight though, it may be best if you simply tried to rest. "

  
It was a clear dismissal and Hallei nodded dumbly. She just wanted to be away from all of them now anyway. Her Sentinel entourage gave another salute and began to march forward again. She spared a glance over her shoulder and felt her cheeks flush slightly when she found Solas staring right back at her with a hard intensity she had only seen him use on particularly challenging foes. She sucked in a breath and quickly turned her eyes forward. She didn't dare look again.

  
When she got back to her room, Seranna was waiting inside. She quickly shooed away the three men, but Rosal'nin had rather sternly informed her that they were going to be standing guard just outside the door. It earned him an exasperated roll of Seranna's blue eyes and a door being closed in his face.

  
Once her door was closed, Hallei felt her legs buckle and she had to stumble towards the bed. Seranna let out a slightly panicked squeak and hefted her up onto the mattress to sit up properly, "My Lady!" she hissed quietly so as not to alert the Sentinels outside, "Please you are not well!"

  
Hallei felt simultaneously exhausted and hysterical. The feeling of being too small was creeping back and she had nothing to hold on to. No friends to lean on, no means of anchoring herself, no one to trust in the whole world. She was fraying at the ends, coming apart like an old sweater. Seranna was speaking to her, but her voice was far away. The words were wrong.

  
Wrong. Small. Alone.

  
Seranna let out a gasp and as a pale, soft light began to filter into Hallei's immediate view. Something had it's arms wrapped around her, but it wasn't a solid thing. She could feel it around her, but it was flitting, fleeting; Like being held in a dream. Her heart began to hammer in her chest and she leaned into its embrace gratefully. She knew this feeling, it was close to her heart, it was familiar.

  
"Cole..." she breathed, the name sounding more like a desperate plea than anything.

  
"I can help." came the strangely reverberating reply. It wasn't Cole's voice, and disappointment flooded through her. She glanced up at what was holding her. It was a spirit, white and pale, seemingly composed of mist and given a vaguely humanoid form.

  
Seranna stood not far away, staring at the spirit, "You are Compassion?" she asked, confused more than concerned, "What are you doing here?"

  
"I can help!" was all the spirit said, and wrapped its arms around Hallei a bit tighter. "It's all too big, and she is too small, but she is enough. She can be big enough to fill it."  
Hallei held her breath, listening intently as the spirit gently pat her back, "They aren't spies." it said to her in a quiet voice, "They can help too. With them you can be big enough. They see the hurt like you do. They want to help."

  
Relief washed over her so fiercely she thought she would float to ceiling once the weight of her fear had been lifted. She let out a long, cleansing breath and the world seemed to become a little more real. The ground beneath her seemed less like quicksand and more like the cool stone it was. She no longer felt like she was drowning. "...thank you." she murmured to the spirit.

  
"I helped!" the spirit said happily, and with a flash and a little pop, it was gone again.

  
Seranna stood incredibly still, her face doing little to disguise her shock. "M-my Lady?" she stuttered.

  
Hallei was silent for a long moment, her mind working to catch up with everything that just happened. She was still too small, and the world was still too big, but at least now she knew she wasn't alone. She glanced up at Seranna, who still looked pale-faced and confused.

  
"I need a drink." Hallei muttered, breaking the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy! Another chapter! 
> 
> Next time: Magical shenanigans, romantic strolls, and possibly griffons!


End file.
